Georgia Bulldogs Early Signing Day - Jalen Carter
According to 247sports.com, the four-star Jalen Carter slots in as the53rd ranked player in the country. He ranks sixth at the defensive tackle position and number nine overall in the football hotbed of Florida. Standing at 6'4 and weighing in at 300 pounds, Carter is a phenomenal athlete. On the basketball court, he is able to perform some spectacular acrobatic dunks.
On the football field, his size and raw talent equate to a perfect blend of quickness, strength, and explosion. Though he is listed as a defensive tackle, he will likely play defensive end in the Dawgs base 3-4 sets. He would then move inside to defensive tackle on passing downs or against spread formations when the Dawgs use four down linemen.
He has the versatility to play inside at the three-technique using power, or closer to the edge at the five-technique position, using agility and short-area quickness in odd and even fronts.
Carter also possesses the ability to knife his way into the backfield by using his speed and quickness to shoot the gaps. He is effective in both aspects against both the running passing games. Carter has the power to deliver devastating initial blows to offensive linemen at the point of attack. He will be a load to deal with, especially when used in combination with players such as Jordan Davis, Travon Walker or Malik Herring. Offensives will have a nightmare of a time trying to determine who to double team.
The signing of Carter was also important in the attempt to replace the rock-solid Tyler Clark who is graduating. As Carter develops, he has the immense potential to give Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs the type of disruptive interior lineman that was a staple of the defense he coordinated with the Crimson Tide. Most importantly landing a talent like Carter gives UGA a great opportunity to retain last season's crown as the best defense in the SEC and arguably the best in the entire NCAA.
